Chapter 5, Verse 15 (Bhagavad Gita 5.15)
Chapter 5: Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Renunciation
Sanskrit Shloka
नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः। अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः
Transliteration
nādatte kasyachit pāpaṁ na chaiva sukṛitaṁ vibhuḥ ajñānenāvṛitaṁ jñānaṁ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ
Word Meanings
na—not; ādatte—accepts; kasyachit—anyone’s; pāpam—sin; na—not; cha—and; eva—certainly; su-kṛitam—virtuous deeds; vibhuḥ—the omnipresent God; ajñānena—by ignorance; āvṛitam—covered; jñānam—knowledge; tena—by that; muhyanti—are deluded; jantavaḥ—the living entities
Translation
The Supreme Lord neither accepts anyone's sin nor their merit; knowledge is enveloped by ignorance, and thus all beings are deluded.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reveals that the Divine remains an impartial witness, neither judging nor accumulating our earthly deeds. Our suffering and delusion stem not from divine intervention, but from the 'Avidya' or ignorance that clouds our true nature. By understanding that we are the architects of our own karma, we shift the responsibility for our state of mind from external fate to our internal clarity. This realization invites us to transcend the duality of good and bad deeds, moving toward the liberated state of a witness. Ultimately, it teaches that true liberation is found when we remove the veil of ignorance to recognize our inherent divinity.